Amani Haki Yetu

On December 30, 2007, President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of Kenya’s presidential election. Within minutes of this declaration, rioting erupted across Kenya, from the coast of the Indian Ocean to the banks of Lake Victoria. These riots lasted two months, claiming the lives of nearly 1,500 Kenyans, and leaving more than half a million internally displaced. Hostility to this extent, not seen in Kenya’s modern history, illustrated the divisive nature of Kenya’s tribalism and left an entire generation questioning whether Kenya would once again become one of Africa’s most peaceful nations. Realizing the role they had in ensuring a peaceful future, Kenya’s youths, who comprise a majority of the population, began to lead, and grassroots organizations soon began to materialize throughout Kenya’s countryside.

This book details the efforts made by one such group of Kenyan youths who, together with a young Canadian, came together with the goal of helping to build a sustainable peace in Kenya. It details the background to Kenya’s 2008 post-election violence, the early efforts leading to the formation of the Youth Ambassadors for Peace, and steps taken to engage both the potential and ability of those who wish to help. Through youth empowerment and the belief that diversity creates strength, these Kenyans demonstrate the power of a small group of thoughtful and dedicated individuals united by their desire to find peace before Kenya’s next elections are held in March 2013.